Artsweek

Hacky “Saw” Flicks Mature ***

October 29, 2009 by

"Saw" was never designed to become a franchise. The first film made a point of killing off all its main characters, save for one who was already dying of an inoperable brain tumor. But when a movie gr...
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Monsters of Folk Brings Its Show to the Granada

October 29, 2009 by

Last Thursday's Monsters of Folk show at the Granada Theatre left no doubt as to the immense talent of supergroup members Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst, M. Ward and Jim James (who, for some reason, insists...
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Phantom of the Orchestra

October 29, 2009 by

Zombies and orchestral music do not mix well. So might go a common misconception that UCSB musicians are seeking to correct. This Thursday, the UCSB Symphony Orchestra, along with the jazz band and me...
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Different Strokes ****

October 29, 2009 by

Before The Strokes return with a new album next year, frontman Julian Casablancas looks to finally have his own say with Phrazes for the Young. The new LP marks the first solo release for Casablancas...
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“Amelia” Fails To Take Flight **

October 29, 2009 by

There has been a spate of recent well-done biopics worth noting: Taylor Hackford's "Ray," James Mangold's "Walk the Line" and Gus Van Sant's "Milk," to name just a few. These films all center around f...
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Foxy Sounds at the Hub

October 22, 2009 by

The line formed early for The Sounds' Monday-night gig at the Hub, which was a fortunate thing, because the real show was over by the time the headliners even took the stage.
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“Gunmetal” Brings Noir to Sunny SB

October 22, 2009 by

Picture a bar by an airport, just a little hole in the wall that people stop into when they're running away. It's the kind of place that "smells like stale cigarette smoke and shattered dreams." The o...
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Twins Achieve Sainthood ****

October 22, 2009 by

Canadian twins Tegan and Sara have the world at their fingertips: After winning a local music contest at the age of 17, they landed a spot on a "Grey's Anatomy" soundtrack, gained a devoted following ...
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It’s a Wild, “Wild” World Out There *****

October 22, 2009 by

"Where the Wild Things Are" has achieved a rare quadruple-media self-referential storm that has taken the beloved children's book from its place at the bottom of boxes in attics and elevated it to a m...
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The “Paranormal” Phenomenon ****

October 22, 2009 by

It only took one million online demands for the independently produced "Paranormal Activity" to be distributed to theaters nationwide, but it has finally arrived. And boy was it worth it.
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OFF THE BEATEN PATH: [REC]

October 22, 2009 by

1968's "Rosemary's Baby" featured a shot of a woman sitting in a bedroom on the phone with her face blocked by the edge of the doorway. Legend has it that at the first screening, nearly the entire aud...
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The University Art Museum Takes a “Holiday”

October 22, 2009 by

The University Art Museum opened its doors to four new exhibitions last Wednesday, all of which will be showing through Jan. 31, 2010. The distinct and diverse exhibitions deal with enticing themes, a...
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New “Stepfather” Is No Replacement *

October 22, 2009 by

From the brilliant minds that brought us 2008's "brilliant" remake of "Prom Night" comes another 1980s horror-film retread that should have gone straight to DVD. Nelson McCormack's update of "The Step...
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“Citizen” Abides the Law of Action Entertainment

October 22, 2009 by

Earlier this summer, Gerald Butler demonstrated how he does in fact has some range as an actor by playing a crudely endearing nice guy/asshole that pursues the chick from "Knocked Up" (I know her name...
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Ghostface Killah’s Spectre Haunts Velvet Jones

October 22, 2009 by

Fresh off an appearance at VH1's Hip Hop Honors, founding Wu-Tang Clansman Ghostface Killah made a shambolic appearance at Velvet Jones last Saturday night. Apparently battling some sort of flu, Ghost...
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